What is the impact of media coverage of a sexual assault case on the jury?

Insofar as the record before us shows, many of the prospective jurors including all but two or three who became trial or alternate jurors had little or no knowledge beyond the basic facts of the case that were reported early on. Many including all trial jurors and alternates stated they either had formed no opinion as to guilt or had not formed a fixed opinion, and could base a verdict solely on the evidence presented at trial. (See People v. Alfaro (2007) 41 Cal.4th 1277, 1323.) The trial court excused those who had prejudged defendant's guilt or did not appear able to return a verdict based solely on the trial evidence.⁵⁴